Index



(No Model.)

C. M. OO-TT.

INDEX. 110. 426,114. Patented Apr. 22. 1890.

AaAlzAcAd AgAh 111111 A1 T V T V GRANTEES YW Lo {011m WIZWESSES IWEJVTOB attorney UNrTn STATES ATENT OFFICEO CHARLES MILTON COTT, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,114, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed April 29, 1889 Serial No. 309,061. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES MILTON Corr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Indexes; and I do declare the following to be 'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in indexes having for their object principally to expedite and simplify the finding of any particular name or names, and it is designed to effect a great saving of time and trouble, especially in searching indexes covering a great number of names as, for instance, in land-rccords and the like.

In the accompanying drawing the figure illustrates my index.

In carrying out myinven-tion I print at the head or top of the columns, beginning with either right or left of the surname column suitably designated upon each page, the single initials of each of two or more given or Chris tian names in as many columns, as indicated, for instance, at I and J, exc. J0. In the I column I place the initial of or full given or Christian name-ms, for instance, Isaac C, In the next or J or J0 column I place the appropriate given or Christian name-ms, forinstance, James I. These are not arranged, however, in alignment with the previouslydisposed given or Christian names, but upon line next above or below, as the case may require, and so for the third or C column, and so on arranging the letter or name thereunder and out of alignment with either of the preceding given names. This order of arrangement of the given or Christian names is observed for all the pages throughout the book or liber.

The combination or grouping of the given or Christian names as practiced in carrying out my invention is made with special ref ence to proportions of names as they occur in any given quantity, Forinstance, in twentyeight thousand seven hundred and seventy two names there are two thousand nine hundred and fifty-four represented by letters A B, three thousand and thirty-six by C D, two thousand eight hundred and forty-two by E F, three thousand and sixty by G II, two thousand nine hundred and thirtyfive I J. cxc. Jo, three thousand and forty-eight by J 0, three thousand and three by K L M, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight by N O P Q, two thousand five hundred and forty-nine by R S, one thousand by l U V, and two thousand six hundred and fifty-seven by \V Y Z, so that nine out of eleven are very closely allied, and these names are an average showing as to how the Christian names will run in any given quantity of names. It is, how- 1 ever, designed in some cases to contract or reduce the grouping or combinations of Christi an names to six columns, and in this case the first column of the name-page under a given name would have the names beginning with A B, the second column C D, and so on. The letters A B, &c., heading the givenname column, will in some instances be duplicated, or there will be more than one set thereof to a page. For instance, A B may head their respective columns, while at some point down the page may be disposed the letters C D, indicating the point that Christian or given names beginning with these initials are recorded.

In the plan of indexing herein presented it will be seen that I am enabled to record a maximum number of surnames, all more or less resembling each other, with a minimum number of Christian names in a given column, making it much easier and quicker to traverse the list and find the required name or names than the methods heretofore adopted of indexing the names, my plan of indexing being more varied.

It will be understood that- I do not restrict myself to using the Christian or given name initial singly; but I may also use in some instances the first letter of the surname only and in other cases the first two letters, as also 3a to El, &c.

Upon the headings of the pages of the book or liber, preferably at the top of the abovedescribed matter, are to be printed various These tables refer to the surnames,

same extending continuously throughout the whole series of columns. In most of these spaces or squares thus formed in each of the four or more principal columns is disposed a group of letters of the alphabet, and a number, while in one or more is the abbreviation or contraction standing for a corporation or firm, as also a number, thus producing a record upon each page of the surnames, ,&c., and

the pages upon which each may be found of 7 all the names, 850., contained in the whole book or ,volume, beginning with certain initials.

It is contemplated to use the various tables, as indicated at the top of each page of the book or liber, or at the tops of certain pages throughout the latter, or they may be applied to white or colored sheets disposed or distributed at various points in the book.

All the other data or heading, &c., herein shown it will be observed may be changed or substituted by other matter without departing from the spirit or text of my invention.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The improved index wherein are associated with columns of the surname adjacent columns, the headings of which are designated by the initial of the Christian or given names, and in which latter columns are written or disposed the initials of or full given name, the same being arranged out of alignment with each other, substantially as specified.

2. The improved index having index-tables upon pages of the book or liber, and having checkespaced columns of surnames, as also adjacent columns of given or Christian names, each arranged in a diiferent column and out of alignment with each other, substantially as specified.

3. The index having checked spaced columns on pages of the book or liber, in which are arranged letters of the surname, and in. 

